


A Painful Secret (a DIARY OF A WIMPY KID fanfic)

by erziegler00



Category: Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series - Jeff Kinney
Genre: Brotherly Love, Brothers, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Other, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:55:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27937597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erziegler00/pseuds/erziegler00
Summary: Rodrick is sick, but he doesn't show it. Can Greg help him before it's too late?*This story takes place during the time gap between the 2nd and 3rd Wimpy Kid movies. Hope you enjoy! 😁
Comments: 6
Kudos: 20





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first work on this site, so I hope you enjoy it! I'm just recently inspired by Diary of a Wimpy Kid. I think it's safe to say that it was a part of most of our childhoods. Rodrick is absolutely my favorite character, because he's just so attractive, and hilarious lol. So, I just had to write a sickfic about him. Also, this story takes place during the time gap between the 2nd and 3rd Wimpy Kid movies. Enjoy!

"See you boys on Saturday!"

Greg and Rodrick's parents closed the door behind them. Their father just got a big promotion at work, and they, along with Manny, had to go out of town for orientation. This meant that Greg and Rodrick were alone together for a whole week. The very thought of it made Greg roll his eyes, but he'd rather be home with Rodrick than sitting in some boring orientation. Still, the thought of spending an entire week alone with his nuisance of an older brother still annoyed him, even when they had been getting along better.

Rodrick let out a loud yawn.

"Well, looks like duty calls", Rodrick said as he waltzed to the garage to set up for band practice.

"Wait, what about dinner?" Greg retorted.

Rodrick peeked his head from behind the doorway with his usual devilish smirk.

"Every man for himself, little bro."

Greg let out an annoyed sigh as he made his way to the kitchen.

.......................

Rodrick was finishing setting up when the band showed up.

"Hey man," Ben greeted, "You'll never believe this, but I got us a gig at Sage Nolan's graduation party."

"Bro!" Rodrick's eyes widened, "She's one of the hottest chicks in school!"

Ben laughed.

"Yeah, dude!" His expression then turned more serious, "Just one thing. It's this Thursday."

Rodrick stared at him. This Thursday! That's only in 4 days!

"Well, then we just have to make sure we're ready."

He then turned to the rest of the band.

"We need to make this a good show, guys. We gotta have extra practices so we can be ready. There is absolutely no way we're missing this gig. So, let's get goin."

.......................

Rodrick was totally in the groove, halfway through playing 'Devil's Diper', when he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his stomach. It surprised him, and he stopped playing for a few moments. The rest of the band noticed and stopped playing as well.

"What's the big idea, man?" Chris looked at him confused.

The pain was subsiding now, so Rodrick sat up.

"Sorry, had a brain fart," he said grinning, "From the top."

........................

After practice, Rodrick was walking up from the garage, passing Greg and Rowley, who were playing video games in the living room. He waltzed in the kitchen to make himself a sandwich. But, when he opened up the peanut butter jar, the smell of it suddenly made him nauseous. He closed the lid and set it on the counter. He wasn't hungry anymore. So, he went upstairs to start on his homework.

Rodrick shoved his notebook in his backpack after finishing his assignments. He started getting ready for bed, even though it was only 8:00. But, if there was one thing he loved more than Loded Diper, it was sleep. He started to undress, when that sudden pain in his stomach came back again. It lasted a couple moments longer this time before it finally subsided.

"Probably something I ate," he shrugged to himself.

He flopped on the bed, hoping tomorrow he would feel a bit better.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Greg was pouring himself some cereal when Rodrick waddled into the kitchen, with his usual morning look of being hit by a truck. Messy hair, smeared eyeliner, and droopy eyes. He chuckled at his brother's haggard appearance.

"Morning sunshine," Greg smiled.

Rodrick replied only with a glare. He didn't feel any better from yesterday. If anything, he felt worse. He went to the fridge to look for something bland. He opened the milk, only to feel nauseous from the smell. He sighed, and slammed the fridge door closed. He took the Rice Krispies box out of the cupboard, and began gnawing the pieces of bland cereal.

Greg walked towards Rodrick, only to be met by the all too familiar smell of his brother's B.O.

"Ugh," Greg let out a disgusted sigh, "Take a shower, Rodrick! You stink!"

"Whoever smelt it delt it, Greggy." Rodrick put on his usual smirk.

Greg let out a chuckle.

"That is most definitely not me."

Rodrick narrowed his eyes at him, before he lifted his arm slightly to smell himself. Instantly, he retched, and covered his mouth. That was enough to make him throw up. Throwing a quick glare at Greg, he fast-walked to the bathroom, closed the door, and immediately vomited into the toilet.

When he was finished, he stood up, which was a mistake. Instantly, the room started spinning. He groaned and leaned his forehead against the cool bathroom wall, closing his eyes until it stopped. Maybe a shower would make him feel better. He probably needed it anyway.

He turned on the shower, making it a little cold. Maybe the coldness would wake him up and refresh him a bit. As he climbed into the tub. That pain in his stomach returned, worse than yesterday. He clenched his teeth and leaned against the shower wall, holding his abdomen. However, when he leaned over, he slipped, falling onto the shower floor.

"DANG IT!" he yelled as he struggled to get up, still clutching his belly.

Greg heard the crash from the living room, and rushed to see if Rodrick was ok.

"Rodrick!" he said pounding on the door, "Are you ok? I heard a crash."

"I'm fine, twerp!" Rodrick said annoyed, "I just slipped."

"Ok, ok!", Greg replied scoffing.

Rodrick sighed. He shouldn't have lost his temper. The pain started to subside, and he exhaled from the relief, but something told him that it would keep coming back. It was probably food poisoning or something. Lord knows how old the food was he hoarded in his bedroom. Nevertheless, this couldn't have come at a worse time. He didn't have time to be sick. Not with his parents gone. Who was going to watch over Greg and take him to school? Not to mention this huge gig coming up for Loded Diper. Rodrick turned the water on colder, making sure he was fully awake. He shuddered at the sensation, but then relaxed as he splashed his face with the cold water. His thoughts continued. If he really was sick, it was probably best if he sucked it up. At least until his parents get back, for Greg's sake of course. Besides, he needed to stay caught up in school. He could hardly afford to slack off now.

Rodrick finished his shower, and got dressed to leave. He waltzed into the living room where Greg was waiting, and grabbed his van keys.

"Hey, bro," Rodrick held up the keys, "Wanna drive?"

Greg looked at him wide eyed.

"Are you serious?"

Rodrick shrugged and put on a small smile. Greg sometimes drove short distances with his dad, even though he was only 13. He still had a couple of years left before he could get his permit.

Greg jumped up from the couch and reached for the keys, but then he gave Rodrick a skeptical look.

"You're acting really weird," Greg said, "Did you hit your head when you fell or something?"

Rodrick shrugged.

"Just call it my way of apologizing," he smiled half-heartedly, "And I just don't feel like driving today."

Greg smiled.

"It's ok. I know how stubborn you are."

Rodrick smiled and scoffed as he looked down and fiddled with his keys.

"Yeah, well. Gotta keep up my good reputation," he smirked.

Greg let out a chuckle, then grabbed the keys and rushed out the door.

Rodrick watch him go, as he felt that pain come back. He put his hand back on his stomach, and waited a bit for it to subside. He sighed. No one can know, especially Greg. There was just too much going on. He just had to hang in there, and if he wasn't better by the time his parents got back, then he would do something about it. But, one thing is for certain, he is absolutely not missing this gig at Sage Nolan's, even if it kills him. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Greg opening the door.

"What are you doing?" Greg urged, "Come on!"

"Sorry, Rodrick replied quickly, "Forgot something."

He grabbed his backpack and headed out the door with Greg, with the pain still lingering in his stomach.


	2. Chapter 2

As Greg ran up to the schools entrance, he saw Rowley waiting for him. As usual, the two would walk to their first class together, and practically every class after that. Today, Greg had a lot to tell Rowley.

"Hey, Rowley!" Greg called out, "I just had the weirdest thing happen!"

Rowley looked at him with wide eyes.

"What is it?" He asked intrigued.

"Rodrick actually let me drive his van to school today," Greg said chuckling.

Rowley gave him a questioning look.

"Isn't that illegal?"

"Well it's good to start learning how to drive before you get your permit," Greg shrugged, "Besides, Dad let me drive the car all the time."

"Wow, your lucky," Rowley replied, "My parents won't let me drive until I actually get my permit."

"Yeah, but I think your missing the basic point here," Greg said, "RODRICK let me drive his van."

"Huh," Rowley huffed, "That is weird."

"It's so unlike him!" Greg wondered, "Usually he never lets me near his van unless he has to take me somewhere. He was actually nice to me. It's so strange!"

Rowley shrugged.

"Maybe he's finally trying to change."

"That's a pretty drastic change, especially for Rodrick," Greg laughed, "It's wishful thinking though."

"It's a possibility."

They both shrugged and headed into the school building.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rodrick's stomach hurt throughout the day. He was also dizzy and nauseous. He threw up two more times at school, but he made sure no one suspected anything. After the school day, he went to the student parking lot to get his van. He climbed inside the driver's seat and let out a relieved sigh. He thought this day would never end, but he still had to make it through band practice. Only 3 more days until the gig, and then everything would be fine. He just had to make through Thursday.

Rodrick looked at himself in the rearview mirror. He noticed he looked pale, and a bit sweaty. He hoped to God he didn't have a fever. Quickly, he grabbed a towel from the back of the van and a half empty water bottle. He wetted the towel and pressed it against his face. It felt good, but he needed to get a move on and get Greg, so he wasn't late for practice. Reluctantly, he tossed the wet towel to the back of the van and drove out of the parking lot towards the middle school.

...........................

Rodrick was just pulling up in front of Westmore Middle School. He saw Greg and Rowley standing outside waiting for him. He rolled down the window and put on his smirk.

"Hey, doofus!" Rodrick yelled, "Get you butt in here! I'm late for rehearsal!"

"Well maybe you should have got here a little earlier," Greg scoffed.

Rodrick rolled his eyes as Greg and Rowley climbed in the van. As usual, the seats weren't in. So, Greg knew they were in for a rough ride.

"Please go easy on us this time," Greg begged.

"Oh don't worry, little bro," Rodrick smirked, "You and chunky cheese here will feel like you're floating on a cloud."

As soon as he said that, Rodrick floored the gas, sending Rowley and Greg flying to the back of the van.

"RODRICK!" Greg yelled.

Rodrick ignored him. He was more focused on trying not to throw up again. Driving like this was making his stomach churn, but he needed to act like nothing was wrong. He needed to act like his normal jerky self. So, he continued his usual maniac driving until they were home.

........................

After a few minutes, they finally stopped in front of their house. Rodrick walked around to let Greg and Rowley out. They stumbled out of the van and glared at Rodrick.

"More like a tornado," Greg grumbled.

He and Rowley walked to the house, but Rodrick stayed behind until they were out of sight.

"I guess he isn't trying to change," Rowley's voice trailed off.

As soon as he saw Greg open the front door, Rodrick sprinted behind the bushes and puked his guts out. He was lucky he could hold it in for as long as he did, but when it finally came out, it didn't stop. He continued projectile vomiting for at least a couple minutes, until he had nothing left. He dry heaved for a while after he got the last of it out.

When it finally passed, Rodrick groaned and leaned back against the tree. Breathing heavily, he decided to sit there and rest a bit before going inside. He opened his eyes and look up at the treetop. This was one heck of a stomach bug, or whatever it was. He knew it was getting worse, but he just had to hang in there for three more days. He sighed and started to get up, but when he did, that blasted pain returned to his stomach, making him double over. 

_Ugh, God!_

__

He cursed internally, muffling a scream. Something in his gut told him that this wasn't just a stomach bug, but he wasn't about to give in. Not yet.

Rodrick leaned over, keeping his hand on his stomach, until it started to subside. He then gathered himself up and walked toward the garage, where his band was waiting.

.....................

Rodrick walked into rehearsal. Everything was already set up, and Ben was standing there looking at him with crossed arms.

"Dude! Where have you been? You're so late!" Ben glared at him, but then changed his expression when he saw how awful Rodrick looked.

"Bro, you looked terrible! What's up?"

"Nothing!" Rodrick shot back, "I-I was just up all night getting ready for this gig, that's all."

There was dead silence for a few moments. Rodrick looked around at his bandmates. They all looked like idiots just standing there! They were wasting time! 

"Well?!" Rodrick snapped, "Let's get a move on! What are you waiting for?"

His bandmates shrugged and turned, getting ready to play.

"That's better," Rodrick nodded, "Now, let's start with-"

Rodrick gasped and doubled over as the pain returned. The band stared at him horrified.

"Dude!" Ben asked, concerned, "What's wrong?"

"It's just a stitch," He breathed, "It'll go away in a second."

But this time it didn't go away. Nevertheless, Rodrick straightened up, trying his best to hide the pain in his face.

"Lets, uh, just do basic stuff today," Rodrick said, "I think we could all use a refresher."

The band shrugged as they prepared to play. Rodrick cautiously went to sit at his drum set, trying not to move in a way that would cause him to double over again. He exhaled and counted off the band to start the practice, with the pain still lingering in his abdomen.

.............................

Finally, band practice was over. Rodrick turned to his bandmates and dismissed them. He then immediately went inside and locked himself in the bathroom.

Rodrick hung his head over the sink and breathed slowly. The pain was still there, as strong as when he first felt it in practice. It wasn't going away at all. He paced around the bathroom and internally begged his stomach to stop hurting.

_Please! Please stop. It hurts! It hurts so much! Why won't it go away?_

__

__

He continued pacing, his hand still holding his stomach. He felt sweat dripping from his forehead, yet he felt cold. So cold! He was shivering. Despite not being very smart about a lot of things, he knew this was a bad sign. Frantically, he searched for the thermometer. He knew there was one somewhere. Ah, yes there it is. Rodrick smiled, despite the pain, pushed the button and stuck it under his tongue until it beeped. 

100.5 ºF 

Not terrible, but still a fever. 

"Crap," Rodrick muttered to himself. 

He then searched for any kind of pain reliever or fever reducer. All he wanted was some relief from the pain. He finally found some Advil, and popped two tablets in his mouth. He then turned on the sink, and began splashing his face, occasionally sipping the cold water. He stopped for a while, letting the water drip off of his face. He raised his eyes to look at himself in the mirror. He admitted he did not look well. Pale, with slight bags under his eyes. He sighed. Maybe he shouldn't go to school tomorrow. Yes, he would drop off Greg, but he wouldn't go to school. He felt like he could do better with some rest. Keeping up with this charade has been tougher than he thought, but he wasn't about to give up. He'll just tell Greg that the high school cancelled tomorrow. 

Rodrick dried off his face, and went up to his room to lie down. He hope the Advil would soon kick in. Since he was alone, he didn't try to hide the pain. Closing the door to his room, he carefully laid down on the bed, clenching his teeth and groaning. All while keeping his hand on his stomach. It felt like it was all he could do at this point. He was still cold, so he wrapped himself in all the blankets he had until all you could see of him was his messy hair poking out. He finally settled in, and tried to relax. He had to be exhausted, because as soon as he settled in his cocoon made of covers, he fell right asleep. 


	3. Chapter 3

Rodrick awoke the next morning feeling like he had been hit by a train. He groaned loudly. Every bone in his body hurt, but nothing compared to the pain in his stomach. The Advil from last night didn't help at all. In fact, the pain was worse than it had ever been before. It was almost unbearable.

It took awhile for Rodrick to build up the courage to get out of bed. He knew it was going to hurt, but Greg had to get to school. He took a big breath through his nose, and sat up quickly, resulting in him crying out in pain. He sat in his bed, doubled over, arms around his abdomen, and teeth clenched. He whimpered as he felt his eyes well up with tears. He had never experienced this kind of pain before, and it scared him. A voice in his head kept saying to give in and get help, but he pushed it away.

"Rodrick?" Greg knocked on his door, " What happened? I heard a scream."

Rodrick did his very best to hide the pain in his voice.

"I just stubbed my toe, that's all," Rodrick lied, still doubled over.

"Well, then hurry up! we're almost late." Greg urged.

Rodrick sighed, wincing as he stood up. He just had to drive Greg to school, and then he can rest.

..............................

Rodrick waddled to the bathroom, and looked at himself in the mirror. He was a white as a ghost! He took his temperature again, and inhaled sharply when he saw what it read.

101.7 ºF

The fever reducer certainly didn't help. He sighed. All he needed was rest, and he would be fine. It was probably something that had to run its course. He looked at himself in the mirror again. He couldn't let Greg see how pale he was. So, he tried to find something that would shadow his face enough to hide his color. He found a big straw hat in his parents closet, and put it on. It looked silly, but it worked. Wincing, he walked back to his room to put on his black converse (which was pretty much intolerable), and went to the kitchen to meet Greg.

Greg gave his brother a weird look.

"What's with the hat?" he giggled.

"It's really sunny out." Rodrick breathed, putting on a half smile.

Rodrick didn't know how much longer he can keep this up. The pain in his stomach was too much. He tried to hurry Greg along. The sooner he was dropped of, the sooner he could go back home.

"Hey, listen," Rodrick again tried to mask the pain in his voice, "I don't have school today, some teacher conference or whatever, but I'll still drop you off. So, let's go."

"Lucky duck," Greg mumbled. He was about to say something else, when he looked at his brother. Rodrick stopped making eye contact with him, and he had a weird expression on his face. Almost like he was hurting, but trying to hide it, and failing miserably. As stubborn as his brother was, he was a terrible liar.

"Are you ok?" Greg asked concerned.

Immediately, Rodrick straightened up.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Rodrick groaned a bit.

"You don't seem ok," Greg narrowed his eyes, "Do you hurt somewhere or-"

"I said I'm fine!" Rodrick quickly cut him off.

Greg looked at him, slightly shocked. Rodrick was usually a big baby when he was sick. Why was he hiding it this time?

"Rodrick," Greg slightly lowered his voice, "If you're not feeling well, I can just ask Rowley's mom if-"

"No!" Rodrick once again cut him off, "Let's-let's just go."

Rodrick slowly moved towards the door, holding his stomach. Greg sighed. He knew it was useless to keep pushing, so he didn't say anything more. He grabbed his backpack and followed Rodrick out the door.

..............................

The 5 minute drive to the middle school felt like an eternity for Rodrick, but they finally pulled up in front of the building. Before Greg turned to leave, he looked at Rodrick with concern. He was just about to say something, but Rodrick met him with his 'you better get out before I kill you' glare. Greg knew that glare all too well, and it was difficult to not take seriously, even when Rodrick was wearing that goofy hat. Greg sucked his teeth and got out of the van.

Rodrick watched him leave, and as soon as he was out of sight, he took off the stupid straw hat and threw it to the back of the van. He rested his head on the steering wheel, feeling like he was going to pass out from the pain. He evened his breathing, trying to compose himself. He had to get home! He couldn't just sit in the parking lot all day. All he could think about was being on the couch, sleeping it off, and the pain being gone when he awoke. He felt a tear running down his cheek. Oh, how he wished it would stop! The thought of going home was more tempting than ever. He hoped that rest would be all he would need. Letting out a breath, he gathered himself up, and drove home. Hoping and praying that it would all go away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

School was just about over for the day. Greg and Rowley were in their 7th period Science class. The teacher, Miss. Reed, was going over the nature study assignment that was due the next day: A scavenger hunt of different leaves of different kinds of trees. Thankfully, there were only 5 leaves they had to find, but they also had to write a report on it. Furthermore, to make sure they didn't get lost, an adult had to be with them as well. The assignment was to be done with a partner, and, of course, Greg and Rowley chose to be partners for the project.

.........................

When school was let out for the day, the two boys walked to Greg's house, just like they did almost every day. Rowley wouldn't stop talking about the Science project. Nature stuff and things like that interested him. Greg, on the other hand, wasn't to thrilled with the assignment. He was always more of an indoor person, but this project was worth 20% of their grade, so they had to do it.

"Where should we look?" Rowley asked.

"Well if there's one place to find a bunch of different trees, it would probably be the woods," Greg laughed.

"Just not the Devil Worshipper Woods," Rowley shuddered.

"Of course not! A different woods, like the one by the creek is a good place to start."

"Well, who is going to go with us?" Rowley wondered

"Well, my parents are gone until Saturday. What about yours?"

Rowley shook his head.

"Country Club meeting. What about Rodrick?"

Greg inhaled. Rodrick was 18, so he was a legal adult. However, considering how he was acting that morning, Greg wasn't sure if he would be up for it.

"I don't know," Greg said, "He acted really weird this morning. Like something was wrong, but he didn't want me to know about it. It was almost like he was sick or something, but I don't know. He just might be making it up to skip school."

"Well, we don't really have any other choice," Rowley shrugged.

Greg nodded.

"Your right."

...............................

The two boys walked through the front door. Greg told Rowley to go upstairs to find anything they might need for the scavenger hunt, while he asked Rodrick about going with them. Rowley nodded and headed up to Greg's room.

Greg walked into the living room, where he found Rodrick asleep on the couch, which wasn't unusual. This time however, when Greg looked at him, he could see that he was as white as a sheet, and sweating. He also looked very uncomfortable, his face twisted like he was in pain. Greg carefully put a hand on his brother's forehead. It was warm. Too warm.

_Maybe this isn't such a good idea._

Greg thought to himself, but he remembered that this project was worth a good amount of their grade, and they would fail automatically if they couldn't provide consent from an adult. So he shook Rodrick in order to wake him up. 

"Rodrick. Rodrick, wake up," Greg whispered. 

Rodrick didn't move, and continued sleeping. Greg shook him harder. He still didn't wake up. Greg exhaled sharply. This was weird. As much as Rodrick slept, it was always fairly easy to wake him. 

"Rodrick!" Greg practically yelled in his ear, "You have to wake up!" 

Rodrick lean out a moan, slightly opening his eyes. 

"What?" Rodrick mumbled almost inaudibly. 

"Listen, I need you to wake up ok?" Greg urged. 

Rodrick opened his eyes wider. His face wore an expression of pain, but he saw that it was Greg, so he tried to hide it as best he could. 

"What do you want?" Rodrick grumbled. 

"I'm really sorry, but I need you to come with me and Rowley to work on a school assignment. It's a nature study, and we have to go in the woods. An adult has to come with us, and Rowley's parents aren't home. You're the only other option." 

Rodrick sighed. 

"Can't it wait?" He complained. 

Greg shook his head. 

"It's due tomorrow, and it's worth 20% of our grade. Listen, I'm sorry. I know that you haven't been feeling the best, but-" 

"No, no. It's fine," Rodrick interrupted, "Just go get ready and I'll be there in a minute." 

Greg smiled. 

"Thanks bro," he said as he ran upstairs to find Rowley. 

Rodrick groaned. This was absolutely that last thing he wanted to do, but Greg still can't know anything. Not until their parents get home. He sat up, wincing as he realized sleeping did not make the pain in his stomach go away. 

_Great, just great._

Closing his eyes, and taking a deep breath, Rodrick prepared himself to stand up. He did so quickly, which resulting him gasping in pain. It was even worse than earlier! He clenched his teeth and held his stomach tighter. He didn't know if he could do it, but he kept telling himself to keep going. He wasn't about to admit defeat. Thankfully, he hadn't taken off his shoes since that morning, so he didn't have to go through the misery of putting them back on. 

"Greg, come on!" Rodrick said tightly, "Let's get this over with." 

__Greg and Rowley came running downstairs._ _

__"Whoa, Rodrick," Rowley stared, despite Greg prodding him to not say anything, "You look awful! Are you feeling ok?"_ _

__"Shut it, beefcake!" Rodrick snapped, "As I already said to this dipstick over here, I'm just fine! So, I suggest that we just go and get this over with. Otherwise, I'll make your life not worth living. Capeesh!?"_ _

__Rowley nodded swiftly._ _

__"Now," Rodrick said through clenched teeth, "Get in the freakin van."_ _

__Greg and Rowley ran outside, leaving Rodrick behind. He sighed shakily, still angry. Everything would be so much easier if everyone would just let him be! Why couldn't they just accept what he had told them? Grumbling, Rodrick turned to leave the house, still holding his stomach, and still hiding the pain. Everything will be just fine! He hoped._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the longer chapter. Hoped you enjoyed it though! Next chapter is where things get interesting 😁


	4. Chapter 4

There was dead silence for the entire trip out to the woods. Rodrick thought that he was going to pass out at any moment. The pain in his abdomen was so intense, like a sumo wrestler was endlessly punching him in gut. He dreaded the very thought of even walking a few steps. All he wanted was to curl up in a ball, and hope that the pain would finally stop.

Finally, they pulled up to a secluded area. It was on a dirt road, with no sign of civilization in sight. The woods went on for miles. Thankfully, this was a common hiking area with marked trails, so no one should get lost. However, there was no one else here. the Loded Diper van was the only vehicle in the rustic parking lot. Rodrick put the van in park.

"Is this good enough?" Rodrick asked in a monotone voice.

"Perfect," Rowley smiled, "Come on!"

Greg, who was in the front seat, turned to look at Rowley in the back.

"Hey," Greg said, "You go on out and wait for us. We'll be out in a minute."

Rowley nodded and got out of the van. Rodrick sighed and shook his head. He knew what was coming.

Greg set his eyes on his brother, who look like death had warmed over him. He was very pale, and his eyes were glassy, probably from the fever. His hand never left his stomach, and he wore a very uncomfortable expression on his face.

"Rodrick," Greg said gently. 

He had never spoken to his brother like this before. It felt strange, but he knew that Rodrick was in a great deal of pain. He just didn't know why he would hide it, but he knew that, more often than not, Rodrick was way too stubborn for his own good, and sometimes it came back to bite him in the butt.

"I know that I asked you to do this, and I know that I told you that it was worth a lot of my Science grade, but I also know that you're not ok," Greg took a deep breath, "You're my brother, and I care about you, even though we don't always get along. Your wellbeing is way more important to me than some stupid Science class. So, I'm leaving this all up to you. Are you sure you want to do this?"

Rodrick said nothing for a few moments. He knew that Greg was only trying to help, and he knew deep down that there was something seriously wrong. He was so tired of this unbearable pain, and of playing it off like it was nothing. He was so tired of lying to his friends and his brother. However, he wanted so badly to prove that he was perfectly capable of going to a gig with his band, the one thing that he loves to do. He also wanted to prove to his parents that he was more than responsible enough for he and Greg to be left alone for long periods of time. For years, they have been so reluctant to leave them alone for more than a day, so this was the perfect time to show them that he could be trusted. However, for the first time since it all started, he was in so much pain that he felt like giving up, but the need to prove himself was too powerful.

"Rodrick?" Greg put a hand on his brother's shoulder, interrupting his thoughts.

Rodrick finally turned his head slightly to meet his brother's gaze with pain-filled eyes, and he nodded slowly.

"Ok," Greg nodded slightly in reply, "Come on. Do you need help getting out?"

Rodrick shook his head.

"Alright," Greg unbuckled his seatbelt a got out of the van, with Rodrick slowly following behind.

................................

They have been on the trail for only a few minutes. Greg and Rowley were busy looking for leaves, but Greg kept a close eye on Rodrick, who continued waddling behind them, holding his midsection. Inside, Greg knew that Rodrick shouldn't be out here like this. He looked so weak and tired, but he made his choice, and Greg knew that he was going to stick with his decision. 

So, they kept on going.

..............................

Rodrick kept his gaze straight ahead. Maybe if he just focused on the two boys, it would keep his mind off of his stomach, just a little bit. However, every step he took sent shooting, agonizing pain through the right side of his abdomen. He started feeling dizzy, but he kept his eyes focused straight ahead. He needed to forget about the pain.

...............................

Greg tried to stay focused on the task at hand. So far, they had only found two of the five different leaves they needed, but his mind kept wandering off, worrying about Rodrick. He looked back at his brother once again. He was starting to wobble a bit, but he still kept walking. 

Greg had to admit, Rodrick showed great determination, despite how he must be feeling. He just couldn't understand why he wanted to do this so badly. After all, he never showed any interest in helping with any of his projects before. What was so different about this time? What was he trying to prove? Sighing, Greg turned back to continue his and Rowley's quest.

................................

It was becoming increasingly difficult for Rodrick to focus, but he kept trying. He wasn't about to fail. He couldn't let Greg down, he couldn't let his band down, and he certainly couldn't let his parents down. So he kept trying. He tried as hard as he could, but the pain in his midsection continued to gnaw at him. The voices in his head kept saying to give up, and turn back, but he continued to push them away.

All of a sudden, Rodrick felt his pain increase. It was the worst pain he had ever felt in his life! It was like someone taking knives and continuously stabbing him in the gut. Rodrick groaned. He tried to keep going, but the pain started to spread throughout his abdomen. 

It was unbearable! 

Too much. 

Too much for him to handle. 

He couldn't go on any farther.

His vision started to blur, and his knees started to buckle.

He collapsed on the forest floor, holding his midsection, crying out in pain.

He had failed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was short, but I thought I would add a little fluff to make it more interesting. Hope you enjoyed!


	5. Chapter 5

Greg heard a thump behind him, followed by agonizing screams. Immediately, he spun around, finding Rodrick curled up on the ground. Horrified, he ran to his brother.

"Rodrick! Rodrick, what's wrong!?"

"My stomach," Rodrick groaned, "It hurts so much!"

Greg stared at his suffering brother for a moment. This can't be happening! He didn't know it was this bad!

"Ok, ok," Greg put his hand on Rodrick's shoulder, "Everything's going to be alright, just lie still."

Rodrick clenched his teeth and let out another excruciating cry of pain.

"Please," he whispered, "Please help me."

"Rowley!" Greg yelled for his friend, "Get over here!"

Rowley turned around and instantly ran towards them.

"What's wrong?" Rowley asked panicked.

"Something's wrong with Rodrick," Greg said urgently, "We need to call 911!"

Rodrick removed his hand from his midsection, pulled out his cell phone, and handed it to Greg.

Greg took the phone, and opened it up.

"No signal!" Greg shoved the phone back in Rodrick's pocket, "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know," Rowley whimpered.

"Ok, let me think," Greg said, keeping his eyes on Rodrick.

It was silent for a moment, except for Rodrick's labored breathing.

"Greg," Rodrick wheezed.

"Yes?" Greg whispered, holding his brother's head up and running his thumb across his fevered brow.

"You need to take me," Rodrick gasped.

Greg stared horrified at him.

"No. No, I can't!"

"Yes you can," Rodrick said through clenched teeth, "You're the only one who can do it. I trust you."

Rodrick let out another gasp of pain. He held his midsection tighter.

"No, Rodrick, I can't," Greg said frightened, "I've never driven that far before!"

"You have to!" Rodrick almost cut him off, "Please! Please, I've never felt pain like this before!"

He paused.

"I'm scared," Rodrick whimpered.

Greg stared into his pain-filled eyes for a moment. He could now see tears running down his brother's face. Greg sighed forcefully. He was scared too. Scared that they wouldn't make it to the hospital, because they got lost or crashed on the way there, but he had never seen Rodrick like this before. He needed help, and fast! What other choice did they have?

"Ok," Greg nodded, taking a deep breath, "I'll do it."

"Thank you," Rodrick murmured, before letting out more groans of pain.

"Rowley," Greg looked at his friend, "Help me get him to the van."

Rowley nodded, grabbing Rodrick's arm and wrapping it around his shoulder. Greg did the same on his other side.

"Ok, Rodrick," Greg said, "Ready?"

Rodrick nodded, breathing heavily.

"Ok, deep breath!" Greg encouraged, "Here we go."

Carefully, Greg and Rowley helped Rodrick stand up. He cried out at the sudden movement, but he was up, standing on shaky legs. They waited for him to get his balance.

"Alright, good," Greg said, grunting with effort, "Come on."

Slowly, but with urgency, they started walking towards the parking lot.

................................

"Come on. Almost there!"

Greg and Rowley basically dragged a barely conscious Rodrick across the parking lot, where the van was parked. Rodrick was fighting with all that was in him to stay awake. His eyelids were getting increasingly heavy, and his knees wouldn't stop buckling under him. All he could think about was sleep. 

Rodrick let his legs give out, and he started to lie down on the gravel. He needed to rest.

"No, no no! Rodrick?!" Greg tried to stop his brother from collapsing, but was unsuccessful. He stared into Rodrick's blank expression.

"You need to stay awake! Look. The van is right there. Just a little further, ok?"

Greg didn't wait for an answer. He and Rowley lifted Rodrick up and got him to the van as fast as they could. Grunting with effort, they lifted him into the passenger seat of the van. Rowley climbed in the back, and Greg buckled Rodrick's seatbelt, as he muttered something Greg couldn't quite understand.

"What was that, Rodrick?" Greg leaned closer to listen.

Rodrick turned his head to face him with barely opened eyes.

"I'm sorry," He mumbled out.

Greg smiled slightly.

"Don't worry about that right now. Let's just get you to the hospital."

"Tired," Rodrick groaned.

"I know, but you need to try and stay awake, ok?"

Rodrick moaned in reply.

Greg tried to get him to focus for a few moments, but he saw Rodrick's eyes roll to the back of his head, and he lost consciousness.

"No, no. Rodrick!" Greg lightly slapped Rodrick's cheek to try and wake him up, but he remained unconscious. 

He then looked at Rowley.

"We need to go, now!" Greg shut the passenger door, and ran around to climb into the driver's seat.

"Do you know how to get there?" Rowley asked nervously.

"I think so," Greg nodded vigorously, "Just hang on, and try to get him to wake up!"

Greg started the van and they peeled out of the parking lot.

.............................

They were only a couple of minutes away from the hospital. Thankfully, they didn't cause any real damage. It was just a couple mailboxes and trash cans that got unlucky, but all Greg was focused on was getting to the hospital.

Despite Rowley's efforts to keep him awake, Rodrick kept slipping in and out of consciousness. When he was awake, however, his breathing was labored and he kept whimpering in pain, all the while holding his stomach.

"How much further?" Rodrick groaned.

Greg could see the hospital building around the corner. 

"Not far," Greg stayed focused, "Just around the corner. Just hang in there!"

"Ok," Rodrick breathed out, before clenching his teeth crying out once more. He just wanted to be rid of this pain! He forced himself to stay awake, so he focused on the road ahead.

What was actually seconds felt like hours, as they finally pulled up to the Emergency Room.

............................

Greg put the van in park, and instructed Rowley to stay here with Rodrick while he went inside to get someone out here. He hopped out of the van and ran inside. He sprinted to the front desk.

"Miss, miss!" Greg said, trying to get the lady's attention. She turned to face him, with a smiling face.

"How can I help you, dear," she asked in a cheerful voice.

"It's my brother!" Greg yelled, almost interrupting her, "He's sick, really sick! It's his stomach, he keeps passing out! Please, you gotta help him!"

The lady's expression turned serious. She nodded, telling him that they'll do everything they can to help him.

"I need a wheelchair over here, stat!" She yelled to a nurse.

Almost immediately, the nurse came running, pushing a wheelchair. Greg led them to where the van was parked, where Rowley stood outside. He opened the door to show a labored-breathing, and curled up Rodrick. The front desk lady and the nurse helped him into the wheelchair. They rolled him in, where two other nurses were waiting. One of them started poking him all over his belly. Once she prodded a section of his right abdomen, Rodrick let out an ear-piercing scream of pain. He instantly curled up in the chair and whimpered, holding his stomach for dear life.

"It his appendix," the nurse shouted to the others, "It might have already burst. He needs surgery now!"

Greg stood there frozen. Surgery? Are they serious? What was happening? Before Greg knew it, they were wheeling Rodrick away through a pair of double doors. The front desk lady turned to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, sweetie." she said in a comforting tone. "They're going to take good care of your brother. Do you want to call someone?"

Greg nodded. 

"I need to call my parents."

"Ok," the nurse smiled, and handed him the wireless phone, "You and your friend go sit in the waiting room over there, and you can bring the phone back whenever your done."

Greg thanked her, and he and Rowley turned away. They sat in a couple of chairs in the waiting room. Greg hesitated before dialing the number. What if they got mad at him for driving on main roads, or for the damage that he did with the van? He couldn't pay for the busted mailboxes or the flattened trash cans. Rowley suddenly put a hand on his shoulder, interrupting his thoughts.

"I don't think they'll be mad," Rowley said.

"You don't?" Greg looked at him puzzled, "Why not?"

"You had too," Rowley replied, "Rodrick's life depended on it! They would be crazy if they were mad at you."

Greg nodded, and sighed. He dialed his parent's number and held the phone up to his ear.

The phone rang a few times before Susan finally picked up.

"Hello?"

"Mom?" Greg said to her voice, "Mom, it me."

"Greg?" she replied, "Honey, is everything ok?"

Greg shook his head, despite her not being able to see his response.

"Mom, I'm at the hospital," Greg said.

"The hospital?" Susan repeated, "What are you doing there? What happened?"

Greg started to break down.

"It's Rodrick," Greg answered in a panicked voice, "He's really sick. They said he had to have surgery, and-and I don't know what's wrong. He was in so much pain-"

"Sweetheart," Susan cut him off, "Take a deep breath, and tell me what happened."

Greg told her the whole story. About Rodrick not acting like himself and trying to hide it, about his and Rowley's Science project, about how Rodrick collapsed in the woods, and about how he had to drive him, because he couldn't do it himself.

"Are you mad?" Greg asked cautiously, after he finished explaining.

"Oh, sweetie! Of course not!" Susan said in her soothing, motherly voice, "You absolutely did the right thing. Your brother might not have made it if you hadn't stepped up. I'm so proud of you!"

Greg smiled, before his mother continued.

"I'll call Rowley's parents, so that they know where he is. We are leaving right now. Stay there, and I'll see you in a couple of hours. Ok?"

"Ok," Greg replied, "See you later!"

"Love you, sweetie," Susan said.

"Love you, too," Greg replied before hanging up.

He returned the phone to the front desk, and came back to sit down next to Rowley. He rested his chin on his knuckles, trying to wrap his head around the events of that day. He worried about Rodrick. He wanted to be there with him, to see if he was ok. He felt so useless right now. For the first time in his life, he was afraid that he would lose his brother. Shaking his head, Greg pushed the thought away. That can't happen. It just can't! Rodrick can't go! Things would never be the same without him. Even though he was a jerk sometimes, and they didn't always get along, he was his brother, and brother's always have each other's backs. Greg sighed, putting his face in his hand. A single tear dropped from his eye. He wished with all his might that everything was ok. He wished his parents would get here soon. Finally, he wished that Rodrick would get better. He just can't lose him.


	6. Chapter 6

A couple hours had passed. Rowley's parents had picked him up, leaving Greg alone to wait for his parents or any news regarding Rodrick's condition. Greg just sat there, fiddling with the van keys. The entire time, his mind raced. Why was this taking so long? Did something happen to Rodrick while he was in surgery? Did his parents get caught up in traffic? He just needed someone there with him. He needed some kind of answers. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps running towards him. 

"Greg, honey."

He turned around to see his mother, rushing to him with opened arms, with his dad and Manny trailing behind. A wave of relief crashed over him as he got up to embrace her.

"Mom," Greg said as he hugged her.

"Are you ok?" Susan released her grip to look at her son.

Greg nodded.

"I haven't heard anything yet," Greg told her before she could ask.

"Well sweetheart, these things take time," Susan smiled reassuringly, "but don't worry. Your brother is in good hands. All we can do is wait for news, and be there for him."

The family embraced each other one last time, before sitting down together to wait for news.

............................

Another couple hours had passed, and still nothing. Greg was starting to worry, despite his mother's reassurance. However, he was glad that he wasn't alone anymore. In his entire life, he had never wanted his family more than right now. Yes, sometimes they could be annoying and overbearing, but there wasn't anyone else in the world who he loved more. He smiled and thought about when this would be all over, and everything would go back to normal.

"Excuse me. Are you Mr. and Mrs. Heffley?"

A man wearing a doctor's coat and a stethoscope around his neck approached them.

"Yes," Susan replied.

The doctor shook both of their hands.

"My name is Dr. Tyson. I'm Rodrick's surgeon."

"Is everything ok? How's Rodrick?" Frank asked him.

"He's stable," Dr. Tyson nodded, "He had appendicitis, but his appendix had already burst before we could take it out. The burst appendix had caused infection to spread throughout his body, which is what we call peritonitis. We took out the ruptured appendix and cleared away any infection that we could. However, the infection is still in his system, so we put him on heavy antibiotics to help him fight it. If all goes well, he should be discharged in two weeks, as long as he responds to and stays on the antibiotics."

"Thank you, doctor," Susan let out a sigh of relief.

Dr. Tyson turned to Greg.

"I hear that you were quite the hero."

Greg gave the doctor a questioning look.

"I am?"

"Yes," Dr. Tyson nodded, "You know, if you hadn't stepped up, your brother would have been dead within hours. There is no doubt that you saved is life."

He then turned to his parents.

"You must be very proud of him."

Both his mom and his dad smiled.

"We are," Frank put a hand on Greg's shoulder.

"Can we see him?" Greg asked.

"Of course," Dr. Tyson smiled, "Follow me."

........................

He lead them to a hospital room, where Greg could see Rodrick sitting up in the bed. They opened the door and entered. He still looked pale, feverish, and really tired, but he seemed more comfortable. He smiled as he saw his family walk in.

"What's up?" Rodrick said in a low voice.

"How are you, sweetie?" Susan smiled, gently squeezing her son's hand.

"Been worse," he shrugged.

Greg smiled as he saw his brother's trademark smirk. He had never thought that he would miss it, but it told him that Rodrick was definitely feeling better.

"Hey, shrimp," Rodrick looked at Greg, "Thanks for bringing me here."

Greg smiled sheepishly.

"I did what I had to do."

"Yeah," Rodrick replied, "They told me that I would have died if you hadn't drove me. I guess I owe you."

"Nah," Greg shook his head, "It's on the house."

Rodrick chuckled lightly, then put on a teasing grin.

"Just to be clear, that is the last time that you'll ever drive my van."

"Fine by me," Greg returned the grin, "I like the other car better."

Rodrick smirked. Then, all of a sudden, he remembered Loded Diper's big show. It was in two days!

"Oh, crap!" Rodrick exclaimed, "The gig! We haven't practiced!"

He slowly tried to get out of the bed, but was stopped by Susan's hand on his chest, gently pushing him back.

"Hold it, young man," Susan said firmly, "You are not to get out of this bed until the doctor says so. No gigs until you're fully recovered. Understood?"

Sighing, Rodrick slumped back in the bed.

"How long am I in here for?" He grumbled.

"The doctor said it would be two weeks, if you continue to respond to the medication," Frank said.

"Wonderful," Rodrick groaned. His eyelids started getting heavy.

"Don't worry, honey," Susan smiled, "It'll fly by in no time. We'll let you get some rest. We love you!"

Susan planted a kiss on Rodrick's head before they started to head out.

Greg stayed behind.

"Just give me a minute, Mom," Greg turned to his mother.

Susan gave him a slight nod, and they all left the room.

Greg turned to Rodrick, who gave him a confused look.

"So, is that why you didn't say anything," Greg asked crossly, "So you wouldn't miss some gig?"

Rodrick exhaled sharply.

"Yeah, kind of," Rodrick mumbled.

"Kind of?" Greg repeated, "What other reason is there?"

Rodrick turned away and sighed.

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

"I think I have a right to know," Greg crossed his arms.

Rodrick glared at him, but he knew he was right. He leaned his head back, and looked up at the ceiling.

"If you really need to know," He said almost sarcastically, "I wanted to prove to mom and dad that I was responsible enough for us to be left alone for more than a couple of days. I wanted them to know that they could trust me, but I guess it kind of backfired."

He then let out a small laugh.

"I know, stupid right?" He looked down.

Greg just looked at him for a moment, then shook his head.

"No, it's not stupid," He said coolly, "I just don't think it's worth risking your life over. You really scared the crap out of me, Rodrick!"

"I didn't think it was actually that bad, ok?" Rodrick shot back, "You just don't get it! Mom and Dad had never trusted me with anything! To them, I hardly exist. They never have supported me and my dreams, and the probably never will. So, I thought that I could show them that I could be trusted, and maybe, just maybe, earn their respect!"

Greg stared at his brother. Now that he thought of it. Rodrick was kind of the black sheep of the family. His parents never have been very supportive of Loded Diper, and he knew how much the band meant to Rodrick. He didn't realize how tough it probably was for him that the only people, who should have had his back, didn't. 

"I'm sorry," Greg said softly, "I didn't realize you felt like that."

"Yeah, well I do," Rodrick was still tense, which only made him more tired.

"No, I understand now," Greg said, "Honestly, I thought it was really gutsy of you."

Rodrick softened his gaze a little.

"Really?"

"Yeah," Greg nodded, "Doing everything in your power to prove yourself worthy. I would have probably done the same thing."

"Yeah, it kinda runs in the family," Rodrick smiled.

Greg saw that Rodrick was about to fall asleep now. He needed rest if he was going to get better.

"I'll let you sleep now," Greg said, "And I'll tell mom and dad what you told me. They need to hear it."

Rodrick nodded and closed his eyes. Greg smiled slightly and turned to leave.

"Hey."

Greg stopped and turned around.

"Thanks for having my back," Rodrick said tiredly.

"We're brothers," Greg grinned, "We'll always have each others' backs."

Rodrick smiled and went to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I know it's a bit sappy, but I just love the brotherly love aspect. So, its fine 😁


	7. Chapter 7

Rodrick awoke the next morning to the sound of the nurse coming into his room. The same one that had came in every couple hours throughout the night to give him new antibiotics and to change the dressing of his surgery site. Rodrick rolled his eyes slightly. How could he sleep when someone kept poking at his abdomen, and asking him stupid questions, like "When was your last bowel movement?" Usually, she just came in and did her thing. This time, however, she sense Rodrick's annoyance, and smiled.

"You know, I'm required to do this," she chuckled slightly, "It's necessary to help you recover."

"Yeah, I know," Rodrick mumbled slightly.

She smiled again, and looked up to see Rodrick's parents standing in the doorway.

"You've got company," she said as she turned to leave, "I'll be back later."

After she left, Susan and Frank walked into the room to stand by their son's bedside.

"Hey, sweetie," Susan said, "How are you feeling?"

"Ok, I guess," Rodrick replied, as he looked around the room.

"Where's Greg and Manny?" He asked

"They're at school," Frank said.

Rodrick nodded slightly. Of course they were. He then realized something else.

"Why aren't you guys at work?" He looked at them questioningly.

Susan and Frank looked at each other, and then back at him.

"Because," Susan started, "Greg told us about your guys' conversation yesterday."

She paused.

"And we just wanted to tell you that we are so sorry! We didn't have any idea that you felt this way."

Rodrick looked down

"Well, I do," he said under his breath.

"Rodrick," Susan reached over, and turned his head towards her, "When you said that you wanted your band to be your career, your father and I just didn't expect it. It's just not what we pictured for you. We wanted you to have stability in your life. So, we thought we could change your mind. And now we know that it was incredibly selfish of us to do so. Even though it's not quite what we expected for you, it is your life, and your decisions. So, we want you to know that we love you so much, and we support your dream, even if it might be too late."

Rodrick looked at his mother, shocked. He could hardly believe what he was hearing! He turned to his father, and saw that he agreed with everything that Susan said, but he needed to know that this was actually for real.

"Why haven't you said this before?" He asked.

Because," Frank spoke up, "When Greg told us how you felt, we realized that we had failed you as your parents, who should have supported you when no one else would. Then we realized something else."

Frank and Susan's eyes filled with tears.

"When you got sick, we almost lost you," Frank's voice trembled a little, "And if we did, it would have left us knowing that you spent your entire life trying so hard to earn our trust and support, even though you should have had it from the start."

Frank put a hand on Rodrick's shoulder.

"You're our son, Rodrick, and you always will be. You've always known what you wanted, and chased after it, even though everyone told you that you can't do it," He smiled and looked down, "And with that, you grew into a talented, remarkable young man, whom we are so proud of."

Rodrick felt a tear run down his face.

"That's all ever wanted," Rodrick said, his voice breaking, "All I ever wanted was for you to be proud of me, but no matter what I did, I always felt like a disappointment."

"And for that, we are so, so sorry!" Susan grabbed Rodrick's hand, "We just hope it's not too late."

"It's never too late," Rodrick shook his head and smiled.

And with that, his parents embraced him in a hug, all of them shedding tears.

"We love you, sweetheart," Susan said, "And we are so proud of you."

"I love you, too," he whispered.

Rodrick hugged his parents like he never had before. This was the moment he had always dreamed about. Now, he could hardly believe that it was finally here. He smiled in their grasp, wishing that this would never end. For probably the first time in his life, he was genuinely happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I know it's mushy, but I just think Rodrick deserves so much better! He is always being treated like dirt by his parents, and everyone around him. In my professional opinion, he is the best character in the entire series lol. So, I thought that I would give him the respect that he deserves. 😁 Also, sorry for the really short chapter, but I hope it was worth it!


	8. FINAL

Two weeks had passed, and Rodrick was being discharged from the hospital. He had almost fully recovered, but the doctor said that he needed to take it easy for a few more days. His family was helping him pack, not that he had much there anyway. Finally, the nurse came with the wheelchair. Rodrick breathed a sigh of relief, but he gave the wheelchair a skeptical look. 

"Is this really necessary?" Rodrick asked the nurse, "I can walk, you know."

The nurse let out a small laugh. 

"It's a precaution," she said, "We are required to do it."

Rodrick shrugged. At this point, he was so sick of being in the hospital that he would do about anything to get out, and if leaving in a wheelchair is the way to do it, then so be it. So, he plopped himself down, and they wheeled him out of the room, and out to the parking lot.

.............................

The Heffleys pulled up in front of their house. Rodrick got out of the minivan, and took a deep breath in through his nose. The smell of freedom was so sweet! He got his bag and they all went into the house.

"Do you want me to get you anything, sweetie?" Susan asked him.

"No thanks," Rodrick replied, "I think I'm just going to go up and call the band."

Susan nodded as Rodrick headed upstairs to his room. He sat on his bed, got out his laptop and called the band on video chat. 

"Hey," Rodrick smiled, as he saw each band member on the screen.

"Hey, how you doin' man?" Ben said.

"I'm all good," Rodrick shrugged and grinned, "I'm pretty much off the hook."

"Good to hear," Chris nodded.

"So," Rodrick said, "How'd the gig go? Did Sage like it?"

There was silence for a few seconds, before Ward spoke up.

"We didn't go."

Rodrick stared at them wide-eyed.

"What? Why not?"

"Because, man," Ben replied, "You weren't there! We couldn't do it without you. You're the band's entire backbone."

Rodrick narrowed his eyes slightly.

"You tried to perform without me once before," he said crossing his arms, "At the Talent Show."

"That was all Bill's fault, dude!" Ward retorted, "He basically threatened to destroy the band, if we didn't go on with him. We don't know what his plan was, but we didn't want to find out. We never meant to ditch you."

Rodrick rolled his eyes and sighed heavily.

"Ugh, that douchbag!" he exclaimed, "Now I'm really glad I kicked him off."

"Yeah, who knows what would have happened if you didn't," Chris said.

"Yeah, but really guys," Rodrick stated, "You didn't have to cancel the show, I would have understood if you guys went on without me. I mean, c'mon, Sage is a pretty cool chick.

"Naw, man," Ben shook his head, "We're a band. So, we're in this together. We all have your back, and we always will."

Chris and Ward nodded in agreement, and Rodrick smiled.

"I appreciate that, guys," Rodrick replied, "Really, it means a lot."

"So, when are we going to have practices again?" Ward asked.

"Well, I still have to take it easy for a few days," Rodrick answered, "So, I was thinking this Monday."

"Sounds good to us," the band responded in agreement.

"Alright," he nodded and grinned, "See you boys on Monday."

Rodrick said goodbye to his bandmates and closed his laptop. He smiled to himself. It pleased him so much to know that his band was with him until the end, even when it means canceling a gig at a hot girl's party. He knows that he would have done the same for them. Now, Rodrick had everything that he ever really wanted, which was the trust and love of his family, and the loyalty of his band. He sighed contently. For the first time in his life, he felt like the luckiest guy in the world, and it felt amazing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it, y'all. I hope you enjoyed it, because I sure did! 😉

**Author's Note:**

> Please like and comment! ❤❤❤


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